


Broken frames

by L1233



Category: Tiny Meat Gang (Band)
Genre: ALL THE FLUFF, Coming Out, Dorks in Love, First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, No Angst, Oblivious Cody
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:21:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24088828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/L1233/pseuds/L1233
Summary: 'Look, it isn't like you're hiding it, okay?' Cody tries to rationalize with himself, but guilt has been eating at him for a while now. Noel and him, they've always told each other everything...well almost everything.From w0t_up_b0is' prompt: Cody was already panicking at the fact that he knew he was going to have to come out to Noel one day, now he has feelings for the guy?!? Maybe it's just better to not tell him at all.
Relationships: Cody Ko/Noel Miller
Comments: 4
Kudos: 57





	Broken frames

**Author's Note:**

  * For [w0t_up_b0is](https://archiveofourown.org/users/w0t_up_b0is/gifts).



> Did I procrastinate and write a small thing about tmg instead of working? Or sleeping? Most likely than you'd think.
> 
> Enjoy 🌻

_'Look, it isn't like you're hiding it, okay?'_ Cody tries to rationalize with himself, but guilt has been eating at him for a while now. Noel and him, they've always told each other everything...well almost everything. 

Cody never meant to keep it a secret, and if he's being honest that's what he's been doing. He pushed it off, event after event and new trip after new trip. It never felt like the right time to him, but then again, when is the right time to tell your best friend of _fucking_ years that you're bi? 

And it isn't like he hadn't tried to mention it throughout time, he's a coward, not a pussy. 

Cody can remember the first time he tried to. He remembers staring himself down in the bathroom mirror and rehearsing the words until they lost their meaning. He can almost feel the sweat flushing his green shirt to his back as he walked out the door and into the small kitchen. Noel's frame was barely visible but it was enough for him to start freaking out. Noel noticed right away, being the good fucking friend that he is, and offered him a glass of water without a thought. Cody remembers Noel asked him about it in an almost soft voice later that day, welcoming and open as always, but he can also recall the sudden fear of losing him as a friend, his hands shook a little as he told him about a video's views being low or something stupid like that, and even if Noel didn't believe him, he didn't question him further.

Incidents like that one started piling up, to the point where Cody thought almost comically about the whole situation. He found himself laughing more and more frequently about his last frustrated attempt, wondering how he was going to fuck it up next.

But as years of friendship started adding up too, the funny bit flew out the window, putting him on the predicament at hand. Cody feels cornered, the risk of losing Noel for either: not telling him sooner or because He's disgusted by it, loomed over his head like a damned grey cloud for days until he made up his mind...he was going to tell him today, as soon as he arrived at Noel's home if that's what it takes for him to not lose the fragile backbone he had grown over the weekend. 

The house comes into view way fucking sooner than Cody wanted it too and _fuck this city, really_.

 _today is the day for no traffic?_ Someone up there is having a field trip with his life. Cody shakes his head while parking his car. He takes a few minutes to calm down and think of what he was gonna say once he's there. "Should I draft it?" He asks the empty space, like a moron. "What? No of course not, Jesus." Cody grumbles before getting out of the car and up the front yard. He has a second thought to turn around and just drive away, but pushes against his subtle panic and rings the bell. He's shifting from foot to foot before his friend opens. "What's up Cody? We ain't recording until like six, you good?" Noel asks him and Cody wants the ground to just open and swallow him whole. Of course he forgot to see what time it actually was before storming out of his house and making his way here.

"We need to talk." He blurbs out, cringing at how the words came out. Cody catches Noel tensing his back almost imperceptibly before turning and leaving the door open for him. he toes off his shoes and closes the door. "Sure man, you want something to drink?" He asks stiltedly and Cody doesn't know what to think, does noel know about him and he just never wanted to acknowledge it? He pushes down the hurt he feels and rasps out a "just water, please." his friend nods once and leaves him alone in the living room.

Cody's watching the photos hanging on the wall while he waits, most of which he even helped Noel hang, but the small wall by the corner has been filled with new ones, he gets closer to take a look and smiles. 

Their last trip was fantastic, he reckons, most of his favourite memories are from that time. They went out almost every night, and even the blue ass water couldn't bore Cody out. Noel didn't do any of the extreme sports and attractions Cody did, but he sure was waiting for him with his camera rolling and laughing at his antics. Cody focuses on the photo of them and their friends laying on a beach, and he laughs as he sees his back. He asked Noel to spread sunscreen on his already burned back, and the asshole painted a dick on it.

Cody prays to whatever is listening to _please don't let this break their friendship_. He's finishing his little tour when a new frame sitting on top of the table catches his eyes. 

He takes it gingerly, almost scared to see the full picture. He remembers this one, they'd just had lunch with a bunch of people. Noel was out in the back smoking a cigarette and Cody was talking to a cute girl when his friend popped out of thin air and dragged him to the back. "Dude, look at this view, it's some window's background shit," Noel laughed and Cody had to agree. It was an open backspace, with the greenest looking grass contrasting with the yellows and oranges of the sunset, the small hill cut off suddenly, making it seem like a painting from afar. "We have to take a picture, come on pose for me," he joked but wiped out his phone, Cody shrugged as his friend handed it over to a waiter and jogged back quickly. they stood side by side, but at the last moment Noel put his arm across his lower back instead of his shoulders. Cody remembers looking at Noel as the flash went off but now that he can see his open expression, Cody freezes… _oh, oh shit._

_He's looking at Noel like he loves him._

What the fuck? Cody feels the dormant panic rise quickly. What the fuck? Shit, god fucking damnit, what the fuck is wrong with him? How did he not realise sooner? Of course he loves Noel, of course he does. What's there not to love? He's the most supporting, caring person Cody's ever met.

But not now, god please, not now. 

"Fuck!" He curses out, dropping the frame back down. Cody rubs his eyes harshly, what's he supposed to do? He can't tell him that… he hasn't even come out yet, for god's sake! Cody needs to regroup, he needs to go back and wait for his sudden **_feelings_** to get a grip of themselves and then come back and tell Noel the truth, well some minus the whole _i'm in love with you_ part . 

"Everything good?" He hears behind him and Cody jumps. Noel's in a pair of grey sweatpants and a black hoddie, but Cody swears it feels like this is the first time he's seen him. 

"I need to leave, sorr- ow, shit!" His knee hits the table, jolting the photo over. The sound of breaking glass seems to shake Noel out of his stupor, but Cody is almost at the door now, he takes his shoes in one hand and twists the doorknob. "Wait, Cody please man, I can explain," Noel says making him stop because, _what?_

"Explain? What are you supposed to explain?" Cody asks confused, his friend shakes his head and takes the shoes out of his hand. "just sit down." Noel tries to push him to the couch but he can't _just sit down_ , he needs to get out before he says something he shouldn't. "No, I really need to go, I re-remembered a thing I need to do," he stutters out and virtually facepalms, but once he shifts his gaze to Noel, his racing mind slows down. His friend looks sad, defeated almost, and even though Cody doesn't understand what's going on, he needs to help him.

"I know that-" Noel starts saying but Cody doesn't let him finish the sentence. He can't know, Cody's been careful. "No you don't, you don't know shit." He snaps at him, and his friend looks surprised for a second before anger closes his face off. "Fuck you then, get lost for all I care," he bites back. hatred laces his words, and Cody sees red, _how fucking dare him._

" And to think that I love you, asshole, " he says bitterly. But his brain doesnt registers what he said until Noel's eyes widen. "Oh God, I'm sorry I didn't mean to, i-" Cody tries to apologize as he makes his way to the door. He can't see his friend's face, his already upset heart can't see disgust twists that usually, soft expression, Cody's pretty sure the tears threatening to fall would spill over if he sees Noel now.

His body pushes the door open but before he can leave a pair of arms turn him around and grab him up in a hug. "You idiot, you absolute emotionally tone-deaf idiot," Cody bleaches as he feels his shirt get wet, Noel's crying?

"What's going on? You're supposed to hate me," Cody asks, but he doesn't try to break the hug. "You need to practice your communication skills, love. I thought _you_ hated me," Noel laughs briskly, and Cody's about to have a stroke. _L_ _ove?_ He heard right, _right_? he called him love. Noel let's go of him to clean his tears with the collar of his shirt.

"Uhm?" He asks, Cody's been rendered speechless, too much bullshit in one day. "Well, yeah. I thought you've realised how I felt about you and I don't know, hated me, I guess?" He scratches the back of his head and Cody finds the old habit endearing. 

"You have feelings for me?" Cody doesn't dare to hope, but Noel's blushing cheeks make it almost impossible not to. "I have, for years now, but thanks for noticing, " he says. Cody finally sits down on the couch and promptly bursts into tears.

"Cody?" Noel is calling him, but he is head and takes a big gulp of air. "You know I didn't even come out, right? I just blurted it out and hoped for the best. I didn't even know about it myself until like half an hour ago!" he says, feeling safe under Noel's arm. "I figured, but it's okay, we'll do things your way Cody. However fast or slow you want to take them," he says patiently and Cody's done for. 

Their first kiss is a little sloppy, tears and nerves don't let them find a rhythm, but it's still the sweetest feeling he's gotten since the day of the sunset, once they come up for air, Cody pouts. "I broke your frame" he says, they both look at the shattered glass and Noel shrugs. "I guess this could've gone way sadder, don't you think?" He smiles at Cody with joy he hasn't seen in his eyes in a while and Cody agrees.


End file.
